MANA 3325

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND VENTURE MANAGEMENT

Summer 2009

Course Syllabus

Instructor:Stephen Cox

Office:COBA 350 office D

Office Hours:Before and After Class

E-mail:

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This class addresses the unique entrepreneurial experience of conceiving, evaluating, creating, managing, and potentially selling a business. The goal is to provide a solid background with practical application of important concepts applicable to the entrepreneurial environment. In addition to creative aspects, key business areas of finance, accounting, marketing, and management will be addressed from an entrepreneurial perspective. The course relies on classroom discussion, participation, guest speakers, case analysis, and building a business plan to develop a comprehensive strategy for launching and managing a business. Students will need to draw upon their business education and experience, and apply it to the task of launching a new venture. Students are expected to interact with the business community, advisors, be able to work effectively in teams, and be active participants in classroom discussions and exercises.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Evaluate the necessary qualities and characteristics of the successful entrepreneurial profile.
  • Recognize and determine the steps necessary to open and operate a small business enterprise.
  • Critique the basic forms of small business ownership.
  • Identify the marketing, financial, leadership and other competencies needed by an entrepreneur.
  • Recognize an opportunity and solve small business problems using information, projections, logic, and critical thinking.
  • Develop key elements of a business plan.

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS

Essentials of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, 5th Edition

Scantron answer sheet form #882-ES (for each exam)

Grading Elements

Small Business Owner InterviewYou will interview a small business owner and follow a general “interview outline” provided in class. This will be a casual and brief interview that may last about 20 minutes. If you need assistance, I can make recommendations to connect you with an owner that may be a good fit for your interview.

Feasibility Study One vehicle for acquiring an understanding of the entrepreneurial process is through the preparation of a feasibility study. The focus of this experience is to select a concept and create a persuasive argumentto pursue the venture.

Details will follow regarding the requirements for the feasibility study.

Presentation

Each student will present their feasibility study to the class with the goal of convincing the other students their idea will could be a viable venture.

Exams
One midterm exam and a final exam will test your grasp of the materials discussed in class.

Class Participation

Students are expected to attend each class session. Each student is expected to actively participate in class discussions. Class participation will be evaluated using the following criteria.

GRADING

Percentage

Participation5%

Entrepreneurial Interview5%

Feasibility Analysis

  1. Analysis18%
  2. Presentation2%

Midterm Exam35%

Final Exam 35%

SCHEDULE

Summer 1 / Summer 2 / TOPICS COVERED
6/3 / 7/8 / Orientation/Introductions
6/8
6/10 / 7/13-14 / The Challenge of Entrepreneurship
Startup.com / Chapter 1
Video
6/15
6/17 / 7/15-16 /

Feasibility Study Discussion

Business Plan Elements

/ Chapter 4
Handout
6/22
6/24 / 7/20-21 /

Building a Powerful Marketing Plan

/ Chapter 8
6/29
7/1 / 7/22
7/23 /

Midterm Exam

Entrepreneur Interview Due
Designing a Competitive Business Model / Chapter 3
7/6
7/8 / 7/27-28 / Financial Analysis
Cash Flow / Chapter 11
Chapter 12
7/13
7/15 / 7/29-30 / Sources of Financing
Building a Team / Chapter 13
Chapter 16
7/20
7/22 / 8/3-6 / Presentations
7/27
7/29 / 8/10 /

Presentations

Final Exam

Feasibility Analysis Due

COURSE POLICIES

Professional Environment for Learning

There are expectations about the quality of work and the way you conduct yourself in class, particularly with respect to how you behave towards me and other students. Students enrolled in this course are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic conduct. Any inappropriate academic conduct in this course will be addressed in accordance with the school’s stated policies and procedures on academic integrity. Violations will be taken seriously and are noted on student disciplinary records. If you are in doubt regarding any aspect of these issues as they pertain to this course, please consult with the instructor before you complete any relevant requirements of the course.

Intellectual Properties

All original business ideas and concepts presented in this class are—and will remain—the intellectual property of the authors of the plans. As teams share details of their plans in class, students and instructors will treat this as privileged communications and will not disclose information or distribute documents they receive pertaining to these business ideas and plans unless permission has been granted. The plans will not be construed as an offer to sell any product, service, or share in the company to any other student, faculty, or other participant related to the course.

Student Support Programs

The University of Texas at Arlington supports a variety of student success programs to help you connect with the University and achieve academic success. They include learning assistance, developmental education, advising and mentoring, admission and transition, and federally funded programs. Students requiring assistance academically, personally, or socially should contact the Office of Student Success Programs at 817-272-6107 for more information and appropriate referrals.

Americans With Disabilities Act

The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 93112--The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of new federal legislation entitled Americans with Disabilities Act--(ADA), pursuant to section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens.

As a faculty member, I am required by law to provide "reasonable accommodation" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Your responsibility is to inform me of the disability at the beginning of the semester and provide me with documentation authorizing the specific accommodation. Student services at UTA include the Office for Students with Disabilities (located in the lower level of the University Center) which is responsible for verifying and implementing accommodations to ensure equal opportunity in all programs and activities.

Academic Honesty

Academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form at The University of Texas at Arlington. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University.

"Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts." (Regents' Rules and Regulations, Part One, Chapter VI, Section 3, Subsection 3.2, Subdivision 3.22).

Drop Policy

It is the student's responsibility to complete the course or withdraw from the course in accordance with University Regulations. Students will not be dropped by the instructor for non-attendance. Please refer to the Undergraduate catalog and the Schedule of Classes for specific university policies.

Policy on Nonpayment Cancellations

Students who have not paid by the census date and are dropped for non-payment cannot receive a grade for the course in any circumstances. Therefore, a student dropped for non-payment who continues to attend the course will not receive a grade for the course. Emergency loans are available to help students pay tuition and fees. Students can apply for emergency loans by going to the Emergency Tuition Loan Distribution Center at E. H. Hereford University Center.

COBA Policy on Bomb Threats

Section 22.07 of the Texas Criminal Law states that a Class A misdemeanor is punishable by (1) a fine not to exceed $4,000, (2) a jail term of not more than one year, or (3) both such a fine and confinement. If anyone is tempted to call in a bomb threat, be aware that UTA has the technology to trace phone calls. Every effort will be made to avoid cancellation of presentation/ tests caused by bomb threats to the Business Building. Unannounced alternate sites will be available for these classes. If a student who has a class with a scheduled test or presentation arrives and the building has been closed due to a bomb threat, the student should immediately check for the alternate class site notice which will be posted on/near the main doors on the south side of the Business building. If the bomb threat is received while class is in session, your instructor will ask you to leave the building and reconvene at another location. Students who provide information leading to the successful prosecution of anyone making a bomb threat will receive one semester's free parking in the Maverick Garage across from the Business Building. UTA's Crimestoppers may provide a reward to anyone providing information leading to an arrest. To make an anonymous report, call 817-272-5245.

COBA Policy on Food/Drink in Classrooms

College policy prohibits food and/or drinks in classrooms and labs. Anyone bringing food and/or drinks into a classroom or lab will be required to remove such items, as directed by class instructor or lab supervisor.

Evacuation Procedures

In the event of an evacuation of the College of Business building, when the fire alarm sounds, everyone must leave the building by the stairs. With the fire alarm system we now have, the elevators will all go to the first floor and stay there until the system is turned off. All those in the North tower side of the building should proceed to the fire escape stairs located on the East and West sides of that wing.

  • FOR DISABLED PERSONS…..please go to the Northeast fire stairs. We have an evacu track chair located on the 6th floor stairwell. We have people trained in the use of this chair and there will be someone that will go to the 6th floor to get the chair and bring it to any lower floor stairwell to assist disabled persons.

Should this be a real emergency, the Arlington Fire Department and UTA Police will also be here to help.

Final Note

I reserve the right to alter these requirements for the course if necessary. While I typically hold to the classroom format presented above with fervor, there are times that circumstances require alterations in the content and structure of the course. Please be patient if such circumstances do occur.

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